OTHER VIEWS

Commission should let sheriff do his job — for all our benefit

By Bill SowderSpecial to the Star-Banner

Published: Sunday, July 21, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 19, 2013 at 6:44 p.m.

There was a quote in the July 14 Star-Banner by County Commissioner Stan McClain that he and his committee will continue to go through the sheriff’s budget and cut what Sheriff Chris Blair is unwilling to cut. Said McClain: “I think $75 million is a lot of money to run a department on.”

This says a lot.

You see, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office is not a department under the Board of County Commissioners (i.e., like the roads department, maintenance/facilities management, or even Fire Rescue services). The Sheriff’s Office is a separate constitutional office, as are the offices of the property appraiser, tax collector, supervisor of elections, and the clerk of courts. Part of the job of each of these constitutional officers is to present a budget each year that they deem reasonable and necessary to meet the needs of their respective agencies, and it is the job of the County Commission to fund those budgets.

Are there differences in the definition of what each determine to be “reasonable and necessary”? Yes, and that is what is taking place now.

But it is NOT the job of the commission to tell another constitutional officer what he needs to effectively run his agency, nor is it the job of the commission to tell another constitutional officer what he can or cannot have to accomplish that task. The sole determination of those needs is to be at the discretion of the individual constitutional officer.

Granted, the sheriff does run the jail and emergency management for the county, which is a roughly $35.5 million of his budget request, with more than $7 million in jail medical costs alone. The Sheriff’s Office has done this since Sheriff Don Moreland was asked to take them over by the County Commission many years ago, even though by law it is the county’s responsibility. For the Sheriff‘s Office, those corrections officers are as important to the overall organization as their law enforcement counterparts.

The point is the commission cannot look at the Sheriff’s Office as they do the departments under their direct control. For example, there are often comparisons between Fire Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office, but they are two entirely different entities with entirely different functions. When Fire Rescue is called to an accident scene, they will consistently dispatch at least three units — an EMS unit, a fire truck and a supervisor — a luxury the Sheriff’s Office does not have in responding to routine dispatches.

When Fire Rescue is dispatched to a “hot” call, a shooting/suicide or domestic situation with injuries, etc., they will stage their people at some distance from the incident until a deputy responds and determines it safe for the Fire Rescue personnel to proceed. Whenever Fire Rescue or any other department feels that a situation is not safe for their people, they call the Sheriff’s Office to respond and make sure it is before their people can do their jobs. That is a big difference in function, and requires that you look at budgeting that function through a different set of goggles.

Unfortunately, unlike the School Board, the Sheriff’s Office cannot just lay off experienced, veteran officers because they’re closer to retirement and drawing higher salaries so they can hire more (and cheaper) inexperienced officers. We don’t think anyone in Marion County wants a “substitute deputy” or “substitute detective” showing up at their door when they are in trouble and need help.

However, the tables are now turned, and it is the Sheriff’s Office itself which is in trouble and needs help. The budget message may be harsh and the delivery not as palatable as the commission and us citizens would like. We are taxpayers, too, and like everyone else do not want to see our taxes go up. But bottom line, if we fail to adequately provide for and equip the first responders in our community, there are no “second” responders to fall back on. Can we afford that?

If you are not qualified to hold the office, let the one who is tell us what he needs to protect us, our first responders, and our corrections officers. Then, let’s do our best to get those resources for him. It is, after all, for everyone’s benefit.

<p>There was a quote in the July 14 Star-Banner by County Commissioner Stan McClain that he and his committee will continue to go through the sheriff's budget and cut what Sheriff Chris Blair is unwilling to cut. Said McClain: “I think $75 million is a lot of money to run a department on.”</p><p>This says a lot.</p><p>You see, the Marion County Sheriff's Office is not a department under the Board of County Commissioners (i.e., like the roads department, maintenance/facilities management, or even Fire Rescue services). The Sheriff's Office is a separate constitutional office, as are the offices of the property appraiser, tax collector, supervisor of elections, and the clerk of courts. Part of the job of each of these constitutional officers is to present a budget each year that they deem reasonable and necessary to meet the needs of their respective agencies, and it is the job of the County Commission to fund those budgets.</p><p>Are there differences in the definition of what each determine to be “reasonable and necessary”? Yes, and that is what is taking place now.</p><p>But it is NOT the job of the commission to tell another constitutional officer what he needs to effectively run his agency, nor is it the job of the commission to tell another constitutional officer what he can or cannot have to accomplish that task. The sole determination of those needs is to be at the discretion of the individual constitutional officer.</p><p>Granted, the sheriff does run the jail and emergency management for the county, which is a roughly $35.5 million of his budget request, with more than $7 million in jail medical costs alone. The Sheriff's Office has done this since Sheriff Don Moreland was asked to take them over by the County Commission many years ago, even though by law it is the county's responsibility. For the Sheriff's Office, those corrections officers are as important to the overall organization as their law enforcement counterparts.</p><p>The point is the commission cannot look at the Sheriff's Office as they do the departments under their direct control. For example, there are often comparisons between Fire Rescue and the Sheriff's Office, but they are two entirely different entities with entirely different functions. When Fire Rescue is called to an accident scene, they will consistently dispatch at least three units — an EMS unit, a fire truck and a supervisor — a luxury the Sheriff's Office does not have in responding to routine dispatches.</p><p>When Fire Rescue is dispatched to a “hot” call, a shooting/suicide or domestic situation with injuries, etc., they will stage their people at some distance from the incident until a deputy responds and determines it safe for the Fire Rescue personnel to proceed. Whenever Fire Rescue or any other department feels that a situation is not safe for their people, they call the Sheriff's Office to respond and make sure it is before their people can do their jobs. That is a big difference in function, and requires that you look at budgeting that function through a different set of goggles.</p><p>Unfortunately, unlike the School Board, the Sheriff's Office cannot just lay off experienced, veteran officers because they're closer to retirement and drawing higher salaries so they can hire more (and cheaper) inexperienced officers. We don't think anyone in Marion County wants a “substitute deputy” or “substitute detective” showing up at their door when they are in trouble and need help.</p><p>However, the tables are now turned, and it is the Sheriff's Office itself which is in trouble and needs help. The budget message may be harsh and the delivery not as palatable as the commission and us citizens would like. We are taxpayers, too, and like everyone else do not want to see our taxes go up. But bottom line, if we fail to adequately provide for and equip the first responders in our community, there are no “second” responders to fall back on. Can we afford that?</p><p>If you are not qualified to hold the office, let the one who is tell us what he needs to protect us, our first responders, and our corrections officers. Then, let's do our best to get those resources for him. It is, after all, for everyone's benefit.</p><p><i>Bill Sowder is a lieutenant with the Marion County Sheriff's Office.</i></p>